On Deck: Defense has played a role in Padres reversal of fortunes

If the number sounds familiar, it is the total number of errors the Padres made in 2010 when they set the franchise record for fewest errors and highest fielding percentage (.988) in a season.

The Padres this year are on a 104-pace. While that number will fall well short of the 189 errors committed by the 1977 Padres, fielding has played a role in the Padres reversal of fortunes from 2010’s 90-win season.

Last year, the Padres gave up a major league-low of 32 unearned runs. This year the Padres have already given up 51 unearned runs and are on pace to give up 74 on the season.

Dustin Moseley was not only victimized by the Padres offense (he had the second-lowest run support average in the National League when his season ended due to surgery) but he paid a price for the defense.

Fifteen of the 59 runs charged against Moseley this season were unearned. And Moseley himself didn’t commit an error in his 20 starts. Unearned runs directly factored into three of Moseley’s losses this season and eight overall for the Padres.